2016 Jeep Wrangler steering issue

Jku2016

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Joined
Mar 16, 2023
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8
Location
Georgia
2016 jku steering issue
80k miles
305/65r17 28-30 psi
Toe is 1/4 toe in
Kinda have to constantly turn wheel left to right to stay in my lane.
Ball joints are good
Tie rod ends are good and tight
Newer stock gear box
Caster is set around 5-6 degrees
New adjustable track bar
I believe is could be the track bar mounting hole at axle , doesn’t look wallowed out , but I can kinda see the track bar shifting side to side unsure if it’s the hole or bushing itself but it is a new track bar.
 
It's not good for the track bar to be moving, that's what holds the axles in the center of the Jeep. Have you verified that the axles are centered under the Jeep?
 
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Yes I adjusted it where my axle is now centered rear axle seems to be off a tad haven’t upgraded the rear but does have the relocation bracket for the rear
 
Yes I adjusted it where my axle is now centered rear axle seems to be off a tad haven’t upgraded the rear but does have the relocation bracket for the rear

My Jeep had the relocation bracket but it wasn't centered either, if it was mine i'd get a adjustable rear track bar.

Have you checked to see if maybe you have a brake caliper hanging up in the front?
 
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I have a rear track bar on the way , but with the axle off centered it will not cause wandering issues that I am experiencing. Calipers are fine I’m 100% leaning towards the track bar mount or just weak track bar bushings in the new track bar causing the left to right shifting.
 
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So, does this happen everywhere? That is a pretty wide tire, and I know when I moved up to the similar sized but almost an inch thinner 285/70/17 the vehicle handled differently on one particular road that I spent most of my time on while driving to work. It's an old road that has tire grooves that generally are unnoticeable until your tires are just a bit wider than them.

What happens is that your tires (left and right) take turns falling into the groove. It's not a massive groove, 1/4 - 1/2 deep. Just enough for the wheels to have a preferred track. It's super annoying.

I would go find a newly paved road to make sure that isn't what is going on. I had mine re-aligned to before I figured it out when part of the road got repaired. For that part it tracked perfectly straight.

I have the same lift. Great lift.
 
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What happens is that your tires (left and right) take turns falling into the groove. It's not a massive groove, 1/4 - 1/2 deep. Just enough for the wheels to have a preferred track. It's super annoying.
I have a small stretch of asphalt near me I use pretty often and I have to hold my wheel with both hands, otherwise I'm going into the oncoming traffic lane. It jerks the wheel that hard. My 35 x 12.5s get into those ruts and it's like white water rafting....
 
I have noticed on new patch of road & even highways it does not wander like it does on other parts of the road. It doesn’t wander until the tires warm up, I can get in the Jeep start it up after it sits over night drive it around 10-15 min & then boom wandering appears which is odd but kinda tells me tire pressure has something to do with it as well but I’m running around 28-30 psi. Still wish I had a set of stock wheels to put on it and try and see a difference. Jeep had 35x12.50r17 when I purchased it and it did the same thing just wasn’t as bad but the 305s it’s worse it seems like.
 
keep a tire pressure checker in the jeep and when it starts to wander stop and check the pressure of all tires. At least eliminate one corner getting too hot or over-inflated.

Perhaps check the rotors too... I'm unsure what else warmed up tires would do that would cause that. You don't get any strange vibrations do you?
 
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Yes I’ve been getting some vibes I can feel it in the steering wheel. One thing for sure the track bar that came in this Jeep is rough country and the bushing is trash on the axle end causing the track bar to shift. Not sure is anyone makes a heim joint for the touch country track bar or if I’m just gonna order a RK track bar.
 
I just installed the oem track bar back under the Jeep due to the rough country one shifting seemed to tighten the steering up more which is a nice feeling just until I get my RK track bar in that I ordered. Dropped the tire pressure down from 30psi when warmed up to 28psi.
 
I just installed the oem track bar back under the Jeep due to the rough country one shifting seemed to tighten the steering up more which is a nice feeling just until I get my RK track bar in that I ordered. Dropped the tire pressure down from 30psi when warmed up to 28psi.

You should check and adjust your tire pressures when they are cold.
 
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My track bar recently became loose due to enlarged holes it gave me the death wobbles pretty bad. I just jammed some 9/16" bolts in place of the 14mm ones and it tightened the steering right up. It seems like a very common source of vibrations and steering instability.
 
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